It's Leaf-Raking Season Again -- Here's Joliet's Do's/Don'ts List

The city of Joliet issued this news release:

Residents are reminded of the yard waste and leaf disposal policy in the City of Joliet.

All residents disposing of yard waste and leaves in the City of Joliet should place their yard waste and leaves in rigid containers no greater than 32 gallons in size to be collected on yard waste collection days by Waste Management, at the same time and location as their refuse and recycling disposal. Residents must
clearly mark designated yard waste containers so they are visible from the street.

Free yard waste labels are available at: Joliet City Hall, Jewel Foods, and Dominick’s.

In addition to approved containers, residents may place their leaves in 30-gallon Kraft paper yard waste bags.

Residents may also rent or purchase a 96-gallon cart from Waste Management for yard waste disposal provided the carts are clearly identified with the “Yard Waste Only” labels. Please note: Once the cart has been identified as a yard waste cart it may only be used for landscape-type waste during the yard
waste season. Carts may be obtained by calling Waste Management Customer Service at 815-280-7854.

Yard waste is collected from April 1, 2013, through Friday, December 6, 2013.

Qualified materials consist of grass and shrubbery cuttings, leaves, tree limbs, and other materials accumulated as the result of care of lawns, shrubbery, vines, and trees. Residents must bind brush, tree limbs, and branches in bundles not exceeding 4 feet in length. These bundles must not exceed 50 pounds, nor, may any single piece of the bundle exceed three inches in diameter. Unbundled brush will not be collected.

Residents are encouraged to use fallen leaves as mulch and to protect plants over the winter months or consider individual composting on-site as alternative methods of disposing of leaves.

The city prohibits placing leaves and branches on curbs, sidewalks, parkway, or streets. The City and its waste disposal contractor will not pick up leaves in loose piles.

When leaves have been raked into the street, the street sweepers are unable to pick up those leaves as they may be hiding debris (branches, bottles, metal, etc.) and could cause damage to the mechanical equipment. Therefore, the street sweeper will go around leaf piles and the roadway will not be cleared of
leaves. The presence of leaves in the street and on the parkway will close off the drainage openings and create flooding problems, as well as increase the change of vehicular and pedestrian accidents due to slippery surfaces.

Residents can contract with a local landscaping company to facilitate leaf pick up, raking, and disposal services if they would prefer or if they are unable to handle bagging their own yard waste and leaves.

The average cost ranges from $75.00 to $100.00 for simple leaf disposal up to $150.00 per yard to rake and dispose of the leaves. Residents raking their own leaves, who hire an outside company to dispose of them, must rake leaves into piles on their own property. Leaves may not be raked to, or deposited on, a
sidewalk, parkway, or onto the street.

All residents are reminded that the depositing of leaves on sidewalks, parkways, and streets is prohibited by City Ordinance. The City will not collect leaves that have been placed on sidewalks, in parkways, or on the streets. Any continuing violation of this prohibition could subject the homeowner to a fine of
$150.00 or more.

The City of Joliet specifically prohibits the burning of leaves.

The City appreciates the cooperation of all residents at this time. For additional questions on the City of Joliet yard waste disposal procedure, contact the Roadways Division at 815-724-3650 or visit www.cityofjoliet.info and click on the Garbage and Recycling Button.